Existing trailers must be equipped with taillights which operate in concert with the taillights of the towing vehicle. The conventional trailer interface, as we know it today, contains a wide assortment of connectors including 3 pin, 4 pin, 5 pin or 6 pin, round, square or flat. The electrical connections can be the ground, running lights, left blinker/brake light, right blinker/brake light, electric trailer brakes or a charging circuit. A problem associated with trailer connectors is the lack of uniformity with the automobile connectors. Existing connector interfaces are limited to certain size and shape connectors. The mechanical connection between two 3 pin connectors may be impossible because of the varying pin and hole sizes. A connector which could adapt to all hole and pin sizes would be an important improvement. Even if the mechanical connection is adequate, the electrical connection may be inconsistent. The automobile plug consists of an entire set of male pins which must conform to an entire set of female receiving holes in the trailer plug. A trailer interface which tests and connects each pin separately would be advantageous.
The procedure available today requires the user to spend considerable time connecting different trailer interfaces. Each time a new trailer or a new automobile is connected, the user must spend extra time determining the proper connection sequence. Special tools may be required for different trailer connections which also can add to the expense of the project.
The current procedure for connecting the interfaces is also problematic in that it is a trial and error type approach with the consequences of destroying circuits and fuses during each connection. No system for indicating a proper connection, before destroying a fuse, exists. If the wire for the brakes is accidentally connected to the charging circuit, the brake fuses would be destroyed while testing the connection. The user must connect and disconnect the male wire to each female wire until a proper connection is achieved, so many fuses can be destroyed each time a trailer is connected. Connecting the wrong wire can also cause the malfunctioning of vital, legally- required automobile functions. An organized system for testing and indicating proper connections, without destroying fuses, is needed.
Once connected, the plugs and wires on existing devices are subject to damage. Loose wires may drag on the road or get intermixed with other automobile wires, while the connected wires may be bent or pulled by the trailer movements. The connection may also be exposed to harsh outside environmental elements such as rain, snow, lightening, dirt or flying objects on the roadway. When docking or launching a boat, the interface may also be submerged in water. An enclosed, water-resistant interface would be extremely advantageous.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,860, issued to Purdy, discloses a set of relays which operate to connect or isolate different portions of signal light circuits. A trailer signal light adapter circuit is interposed between the automobile circuit and the trailer circuit to give full signal operation at all times. A relay corresponds to each of the signal light conditions and prevents nonfunctioning lights from being lit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,052, issued to Koerner, discloses trailer light connection system which uses electronic light sensors to detect the light emitted by the automobile. The sensors are connected to circuits equipped with taillight switching devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,393, issued to Jeter, discloses a connector box with a six wire plug to be plugged into a socket on an automobile and a six wire socket into which the trailer plug may be attached. If the connector has less than six wires, a jumper is used which has a six prong socket on one end and a three, four or five connection plug on the other end. Each of the hot wires connected from the pickup terminate in a switch wire with a pin upon the end. Each of the trailer wires terminate in a receptacle. After a set of lights is activated on the automobile, the user must connect the pin into the different sockets until the set of lights are illuminated. Because the wires are fixed, the fuses in this patent are still susceptible to failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,938, issued to Bondzeit, discloses a trailer lighting adapter to connect the lighting systems of American trailers to American or foreign automobiles. The circuitry is powered by the automobile battery but allows negligible current drain from the automobile battery when the battery is not in use. The circuitry is fused or the current is limited to protect the electrical systems from shorts. A light emitting diode indicates a malfunction to the driver.
The foregoing patents indicate that the prior art discloses some of the locator's structures such as plugs, resistors and sockets. The present universal trailer light locator contains important improvements on the prior art to justify differentiation including a connector which can be received into any other connector, a method for testing each connector pin separately and the connection of adjustable non-taillight electrical trailer functions, such as radios, intercoms and microphones.